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WILSON DETERMINED POLITICS
SHALL NOT DEFEAT ARMY
CONSCRIPTION BILL.
Washington, April 19. Adminis
tration determined that politics shall
not defeat conscription army, bill,
which army men say is absolutely
vital to safety of nation.
President will stand for no com
promise. He favors 'Chamberlain
bill, which provides selective draft
without modification, and will fight
for its passage.
Is his purpose to get bill through
senate, then put issue squarely be
fore house. Appears inevitable now
that bill will be thrown into confer
ence before final action is taken on
it. House will vote on its bill, which
includes volunteer feature, next
Monday. By terms of the measure
the president would be authorized to
call for 500,000 volunteers, and, if
that fails, to resort to selective draft
ing; or if the president desired he
could put draft system into effect im
mediately and issue no call for volun
teers. This plan shifts whole respon
sibility for any conscription onto the
president
Senate may reach vote on its bill
which is only slightly changed from
one president wants before tomor
row night and administration feels
no doubt as to its passage in upper
house.
While respecting individual view
points of those who oppose selective
draft, Pres. Wilson is understood to
feel that this is not an opportune
time for prolonged discussion of de
tails when it is vitally essential to
welfare of nation to raise an army
at once.
For that reason it appears likely
there may soon be something in the
nature of a blast .from the White
House to jar congress into action.
The president Is expected to resort
to his usual method of putting up to
the country the question of support
on measureg,on which he and some
members of-congrese differ.
Nothing is contemplated along the 1
lines of his "wilful twelve" excoria
tion, but when he speaks it will be to
let country know that those respon
sible for delay on army bill are
jeopardiding safety of the country.
With completion of work on army
bill in sight, emergency war program
is nearing its end and congress is
again talking adjournment.
Many believe session .can be ended
by June 1. '
-o o
MORALE OF TEUTON DEFENSE
CRACKING UNDER STRAIN
Paris, April 19. Germany's sol
diers reaching panic stage as great
drive of JTranco-British forces sweeps
onward with ghastly toll of Teuton
dead.
Today, with Gen. Nivelle's French
forces in some places more than five
miles behind German lines in Sois-son-Rheims
sector, official statement
told of German retreat in great dis
order, of abandonment of "big quan
tities' of supplies, of something akin,
to terror among Germans heretofore
held "stolid by iron discipline of mili
tarist system.
Tremendous number of prisoners
captured by French drive also at
tests demoralization of enemy, due
to their fearful losses not alone in
fury of French artillery fire and the
dash of troops themselves, but in the
slaughter German commanders force
on their own men by forlorn hope
counter-attacks. " By night it is ex
pected total of German prisoners will
reach 20,000. Nearly 100- guns-have
already been taken.
French still driving north of Aisne
toward Laon today, meanwhile con
solidating their gains of yesterday,
the most important since great drive
started. For first time since battle
of Marne, German invaders have
been driven north of Aisne river.
Capture of Mont Haut and several
heights, including Hill 22 in Cham
pagne offensive announced today.
Paris. "Everywhere success" was
epitome of official statement, detail-i
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